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Arts Correspondent

Police officer-in-charge for Gwanda District, Chief Superintendent Mandlenkosi Moyo, has said piracy of art works should be treated seriously, equating it to cases of robbery like stocktheft.

Speaking at a stakeholders workshop on copyrights held by Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) at Mishies Hotel in Gwanda last week, Chief Supt Moyo said piracy was the same with a case of someone who lost property to thieves.

“Piracy is just equal to reaping of one of their hard earned property, just like cases of stock theft or any other form of theft,” he said. “We can’t take lightly someone just coming to reap off the fruits of another person’s labour.”

Chief Supt Moyo said the police is mandated to investigate all violations of the law.

“The constitution mandates us to investigate all crimes and we are serious about copyrights, that’s why you can see present here with me officers-in-charge of different police stations in Gwanda District and their subordinates,” he said. Present at the workshop were different stakeholders including musicians, music promoters, law enforcement officers, representatives of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and Gwanda Municipality officials.

Chief Supt Moyo, a musician in his own right, said people were not willing to come forward as witnesses in cases of copyrights infringements.

“People are afraid to be seen with the police lest they be viewed as informants, let alone come forward as witnesses,” he said. “The moment they do not come forward it means perpetrators will continue enjoying the fruits of someone’s labour.”

Chief Supt Moyo said there was need to educate members of the police force on piracy and capacitate them with the right tools and technologies to carry out investigations that could lead to convictions.

NPA representative Ngonidzashe Shumba said those whose copyrights were being infringed should report the cases.

“We need a complainant to successfully prosecute cases of piracy and copyrights infringements, that is the right owners,” he said. “We take serious reconnaissance of piracy, equal to someone stealing another person’s cow.” Shumba said there had only been one piracy case that went to court in the country, but it fell through due to lack of a complainant and witnesses.

“NPA makes decisions on which crimes to pursue regarding sufficiency of evidence and charge to be preferred,” he said.

Zimura deputy director Henry Makombe encouraged musicians to register as members to enjoy free funeral cover and other benefits.

“We have free funeral cover for all our members, six months after joining,” said Makombe.

“For funeral cover, we partnered with Nyaradzo and if our member already had funeral cover, we will provide groceries or the family will claim a cash payment within one year of a member’s death.”

Makombe said the organisation gave an incapacitation allowance to members.

“In case a member falls sick or has been involved in an accident to the extent that they are can not work anymore, we pay a once off incapacitation allowance,” he said.

Makombe said Zimura collects and disburses royalties on behalf of its members.

“We collect royalties on behalf of our members from radio stations and entertainment venues,” he said. “We, however, have a challenge with some radio stations on the logging system which determines how many time a particular song has been played.

“Sometimes you can hardly read what’s written on the handwritten logging sheet, but we are always working to develop that our members receive all that’s due to them.”